Resilient stairway-climbing vehicle.



1. M. LAY'TON & H. e. HAW ORT Hi R-ESILIENT STAIRWAY CLIMBING VEHICLE.

- APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 30- l9l 5.

1 ,26 1 ,944. Patented Apr. 9, 1918.-

2 SHEETS -SHEET l- Hbnry GfHawortfi 8 Jo)? M -Layzon,

.l. M. LAYTON & H. G. HAWORTH.

RESILlENT STAIRWAY CLIMBING VEHICLE."

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 30, I915.

Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Hiyonlz & Q70]??? M. Layfon E721 GT JOHN MIG-AJAH ASSIGNORS OF T'WC-THIRDS T6 BENJAMIN IF. SAMUELS,

AND GNE-THIRD T0 SAID HAWORTH.

OF LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS,

RESILKENT STAIRVJAY-CLIMIBING VEHICLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

Application filed September 30, 1915. Serial No. 53,328.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Jon M. Lauren and HENRY G. HAWORTH, citizens of the United States, residing at Leavenworth, in the county of Leavenworth and State of lKfiIlSzfl, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Resilient Stairway- Climloing Vehicles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to stairway clirnh- 'ing vehicles for moving pianos. furniture,

glass ware, breakable articles and invalids without shock or jar.

Furniture and many breakable articles as well as invalids often require moving up and down steps and Stairways and over rough and uneven surfaces and. heretofore this has been accomplished by individuals lifting and carrying the article or invalid solely by muscular exertion.

The present invention seeks. to provide an improved resilient supported vehicle that will travel smoothly over rough and uneven surfaces, and ascend and descend steps and stairways, and turn curves and corners and follow winding stairways withoutthe slightest shock or jar to the load carried hy the truck.

A further object of the invention is to support the truck on tread blocks that will not injure or mar floor or stairway.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the improved features of construction, shapes, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter set "forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, the accompanying draw- .ing illustrating an application of the in vention.

In the drawings 1 Figure 1 is a View of the improved vehicle in side elevation. Fig. 2 isf a plan View of the vehicle.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view on line a-a of Fig. 2,

the most finely finished Fig. 4; is an enlarged fragmentary View in end elevation.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view on line b?) of Fig. 2. l

. Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are still further enlarged, Fig. 6 being a fragmentary sectional view of the frame and tread blocks taken on line co of Fig. 1, while Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of thcftreadblocks and chain, and Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan view of the frame.

The side frames are practically duplicate excepting as to the projection of connections in which respect they are practically opposite and comprise rear sections 1, intermediate sections 2 and front sections 3, the sections 1 and 2 being hinged together at 4, while the sections 2 and 3 are hinged at so that the frames have suflicient strength to support any load the vehicle is intended to carry with either frame resting in but one or two places on the surface over which the vehicle travels.

The hingesare for the purpose of allowing" the sections 2 and. 3 to be turned from alinement with the section 1 for the purpose of guiding the vehicle and turning corners as will hereinafter be more fully explained.

The sections 1 and 2 are provided with flanges 6 and 7 to secure width of hearin for the rollers 8 of the tread blocks 9, the section 8 being curved upward at the front end '10 and having the flange 11 extending along both edges thereof and around the upturned portion, the end 10 being curved upward for the purpose of climbing over obstruction and to aid the vehicle in starting to olimha stairway, the upward incline being suflicient to reach over the lower step of a stairway when the main portion of the truck is horizontal.

From the inner side of sections 1 extend rearwardly arms 12 in which is journaled the shaft 13, on which is rigidly mounted the sprocket wheels 14, the shaft 13 also having rigidly mounted thereon the worm.

wheel 15 in which meshes the worm 16, the latter mounted on the vertical shaft 17, the

11. vi a r\ L .71 1; h 1.

. :L cm A Q S S ion 1 my L 1 0 0 x 1.. n4 6 S nu .1 .x m Lb IN C l m C LL P S W m C a 321 E C Q Gbfb D l mm .1 nk .1 in w s U 5 3 5 .5 mu 9 5 1 an. 2 3 l 56 and 57, the upper rear toggle arms 50 and lower rear toggle arms 52 being pivotally connected by the traverse member 58, while t upper front toggle arms 51 and lower front toggle arms 53 are pivotally connected by the traverse member 59.

Journaled and shouldered in the traverse member 58 in the usual manner, and screw threaded in the traverse member 59, are the screws 60 to each of which is rigidly secured a sprocket wheel of common and well known construction, the

wheels not being in view because of being covered by the chain 61, the chain connecting the screws in common manner so that the turning of either screw will turn the remaining one.

The table this shown in full lines in lowered position and in dotted lines in raised position, it being well known that when the table is in lowered position it may be raised by turning the screws and bringing the members 58 and 59 toward each other, and

bringing the toggle arms to vertical folding position as shown in dotted lines instead of horizontal folding position as shown in full lines. The main object ofelevating the table as shown or to any desired angle is to preserve a level position thereof when the truck is ascending or descending a stairway or other incline, it being obvious that the table may be gradually elevated as the truck assumes the angle of the incline or stairway, and the table may be maintained at all times in a horizontal position, it

' being very desirable to maintain many articles of furnitureon a level surface while moving them, also in moving invalids up or down stairways it is very desirable to maintain a level position of the table, itbeing understood that beds or chairs may be. placed on the table to receive the invali The front end 45 of the table 46 is provided with an upwardly turned ledge or end board 62 as a rest or stop to prevent articles from slipping over and off from the table, while slots 63 are provided at in-.

tervals for the insertion of the lock bolts 64, so that the jaws may be locked in any desired position longitudinally of the table, it being obvious that the article of furniture or the like may be placed against the ledge 62 and one or more of the jaws 65 placed snugly against the article and locked by the bolt or bolts 64 so that no slippage on the table will occur, it will also be understood that the article may be secured in any position on the table by two or more of the jaws 65, and that more than two of the jaws may be employed when desired.

, From the foregoing description it willbe understood that articles of merchandise, or

' furniture, or chairs or beds to hold 'invalids tails as set forth without The improved vehicle is of chief importance for the moving of pianos, breakable merchandise and invalids between floors that are connected only by Stairways, but it may also be employed as a general utility truck where ease in handling and resiliency of movement areessential. It is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the dedeparture from the essentials of the invention.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is z y 1, In a stair climbing vehicle, a pair of frames, each of said frames formed of sec tions pivotally connected to swing horizontally, a shaft journaled transversely in said frames and near one end thereof, a sprocket wheel mounted on said shaft near each end thereof and in alinement with the respective frame, the sections of said frame adjacent said sprocket wheels rigidly connected; transversely, means to revolve said shaft and sprocket wheels, means to throw the free end, of said frames from side to side for steer-- ing purposes, and a tread chain surrounding each of said sprocket wheels and the companion frame.

2. In a stair climbing vehicle, a pair of frames, each of said frames formed of sections pivotally connected to swing horizontally, asprocket wheel journaled through suitable connections to one end of. each of said frames, said sprocket wheels located at companion ends of said frames, a chain surrounding each of said sprocket wheels and the companion frame, and means to steer said frames.

3. In a stair climbing vehicle, a pair of frames, each of said frames, formed of sections'pivotally connected to swing horizontally, a sprocket wheel journaled through suitable connections to one end of each of said frames, said sprocket wheels located at companion ends of said frames, a chain surrounding each of said sprocket wheels and the companion frame, said frames and said sprockets forming a continuous bearing for said frames.

4. In a stair climbing vehicle, a pair of I frames, each of said frames formed of sections pivotally connected to swinghorizontally, a sprocket wheel journaled through suitable connections to one end of each of said frames, said sprocket wheels located at companion ends of said frames, a chain 

